WDCL Div 1 match 1 23/09/2013 at West Bromwich

		Match Number:			102
		Date:			Mon 23/09/2013
		West Bromwich			Wolverhampton A
1	190	Walker Nick A			Townsend Michael P	187
2	174	Crump John E	1	Def	Sanghera Parminder
3	152	Davies Dave M	0.5	0.5	Wightman Dave R	164
4	138	Wesson Geoff			Bull Phil	157
5	132	Uddin Moin	0	1	Hunt Jonathan B	153
6	98	Bryant Carlos	1	0	Wood Frank (Cap)	151
	884		2.5	1.5		812

Wolverhampton went to West Bromwich for the first match of the new campaign, but got off to the worst possible start when their Board 2 player failed to turn up.  Nonetheless, they enjoyed a significant grading advantage on four of the five boards played and so hopes remained high that a result might still be obtained.  Frank Wood started well, winning a pawn, and Mike Townsend soon followed suit on Board 1, but the remaining games remained evenly poised for much of the evening.  Jonathan Hunt finally broke through on Board 5 to level the match but, shortly afterwards, Frank Wood succumbed to a knight fork of king and rook and the West Bromwich lead was restored.  Dave Wightman drew on Board 3, leaving the score at 2.5 – 1.5, so a draw and a win was required from the remaining two games in order to secure a match point.  Unfortunately, in a bishop and pawn ending on Board 4, white was able to push through a passed pawn and force a bishop for pawn exchange.  The resulting adjourned position will require some careful defence from either side.  Mike Townsend adjourned still a pawn ahead, but in a complicated position.  Good luck to West Bromwich for the rest of the season.

By Dave Wightman